India has stopped stamping boarding passes at departure immigration counters for international travellers. The change is in force at all international airports in the country.
Travellers can now show a boarding pass on their phone screen during departure immigration clearance instead of carrying a printed one. Passengers enrolled in Fast Track Immigration, Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) can use a digital boarding pass at the e-Gates.
What has changed
- No more immigration stamp on your boarding pass. Immigration officers no longer stamp boarding passes during departure clearance.
- E-boarding passes are accepted. A boarding pass displayed on a smartphone is valid at departure immigration counters.
- Printed boarding passes still work. The Bureau of Immigration has confirmed physical boarding passes continue to be accepted at immigration counters, so nothing is compulsory about going digital.
- FTI-TTP travellers can use digital passes at e-Gates. Enrolled travellers can clear the automated gates with a boarding pass on screen.
- Effective date: 1 September 2026. The Bureau of Immigration decision applies at all international airports in the country, not one airport.
What this means for you at the airport
In practical terms, departure immigration gets one step shorter. The stamp was a manual action on every boarding pass at every counter, and removing it is expected to ease queues at peak international departure banks.
- Keep your boarding pass accessible anyway. Airline staff, security and the boarding gate still need to see it. Only the immigration stamp has gone, not the boarding pass itself.
- Charge your phone. If you plan to travel on an e-boarding pass alone, a dead battery is now a boarding problem. A printed backup costs nothing.
- Download before you reach the counter. Airport Wi-Fi queues are not the place to be loading a mobile boarding pass for the first time.
- Do not expect a stamp for your records. If you have previously relied on a stamped boarding pass as proof of exit for visa, tax residency or employer paperwork, use your passport immigration stamp, e-ticket and airline records instead.
Flights to India
Questions
Do I still need a printed boarding pass to fly out of India?
No. An e-boarding pass on your phone is accepted at departure immigration counters from 1 September 2026. Printed boarding passes are still accepted too, so you can use whichever you prefer.
Does this apply at every Indian airport?
The Bureau of Immigration decision covers immigration counters at all international airports in the country, so it is not limited to one airport or city. Individual airports have not published separate rules of their own.
Will my passport still be stamped?
Yes. The decision covers boarding pass stamping only and does not change passport stamping at immigration. Officials have said a separate pilot to remove entry and exit stamps from Indian passports is planned, but it is not in force.
What is FTI-TTP?
Fast Track Immigration, Trusted Traveller Programme is run by the Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs, and lets enrolled travellers clear immigration at automated e-Gates. It is open to Indian nationals and OCI cardholders, with e-Gates live at 14 airports.
Sources
- Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs — Fast Track Immigration Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) official portal
- Bureau of Immigration, Government of India — official website
- Bureau of Immigration, Government of India — official passenger advisory account on X
- Business Standard — No more boarding pass stamps from Sept 1: What travellers need to know
- Business Today — India to scrap boarding pass stamping for international flyers starting Sept 1
- The Tribune — No need for physical boarding passes at Indian airports for immigration clearance from Sept 1
- Millennium Post — No more boarding pass stamps
- India TV News — India scraps mandatory physical boarding pass stamping for international passengers from Sept 1
- Live From A Lounge — India Will Stop Stamping Boarding Passes At Immigration From September 1
Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.
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